When the Devil Plays the Guitar and the Preacher Prays for Mercy - An Exploration of Two Filmic Portrayals of the Occult and Satanism in Rock Music

Aug 24, 2026

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The study analyzes how occult and satanic imagery is transmitted through rock music in two independent films: American Satan and Málmhaus. It examines the devil’s depiction, contrasting a pact-centered portrayal where the devil appears in human form with a music-centered portrayal where satanic elements influence listeners against Christianity. The article also situates these narratives in their temporal and cultural contexts, including background events shaping the screenplays and the emergence of black metal in early-1990s Norway.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

The framing questions

The Devil and the Music: A Short Summary

Roots in the Blues and the devil myth

Robert Johnson and legend-making

Fritz Treiber When the Devil Plays the Guitar and the Preacher Prays for Mercy An Exploration of Two Filmic Portrayals of the Occult and Satanism in Rock Music Abstract “The devil is a catchy lyric.” This quote comes from the movie American Satan (Ash Avildsen, US 2017), when Mr. Capricorn (the devil) promises international success to a young heavy-metal band in Los Angeles and its singer, Johnny Faust. The pact must be sealed with a human sacrifice. Linking rock or heavy metal with the devil or demonic powers is a theme that has been used repeatedly in music and film. In this article, two films from independent productions are analyzed to study how the devil reaches people through rock music and ultimately influences their actions. In addition, the temporal context and the events that affected the content of the screenplays are discussed. Keywords Devil, Satan, Church of Satan, Satanism, Heavy Metal, Black Metal, Rock, Movie, Film, Antichrist, Evil Spirit, Occultism, LaVey Biography Fritz Treiber is a microbiologist and molecular biologist specializing in nutrition and nutritional myths. As part of his work in science communication at the University of Graz, he established the Science & Cinema format, where scientists from various fields give their expertise on films understandable for a broad audience. He is the author of various screenplays including “Des Teufels Meisterkoch” and “Heiliger Horstl.”One of his screenplays has been successfully made into an independent film, Das Küstenmammutbäumchen (Fritz Treiber, AT 2013) . Introduction Rock music is a common theme in feature films, but the influence of the devil or demonic powers through this kind of music is found in only a few films. And a distinction must be made between horror films, comedies, and [www.jrfm.eu](www.jrfm.eu) 2023, 9/2, 145–162 When the Devil Plays the Guitar and the Preacher Prays for Mercy | 145 DOI: 10. 25364/05 .9:2023 .2.8 films with realistic character. In this article, two films, American Satan (Ash Avildsen, US 2017) and Málmhaus ( Metalhead, Ragnar Bragason, IS 2013), are explored. Both have a certain grounding in reality. In American Satan, the devil often appears in human form and other supernatural effects are not used. In Málmhaus, the focus is on the music, which already contains the devil and in one form or another turns the listener against Christianity. This source selection and the juxtaposition of these two movies allows us to examine from different perspectives the phenomenon of the devil in rock music in films. In American Satan, the classic pact with the devil is in the foreground. A young heavy-metal band finds worldwide fame and impressive sales of its album but only at a high price. In Málmhaus, a priest who in his younger years devoted himself body and soul to rock music now seeks to bring a young metal musician back onto the right path. The film is set at the time of the emergence of black metal in Norway in the early 1990s and of the associated church fires. The very different perspectives make it possible to condense the complex and vast topic of the devil in rock music without only scratching the surface of the subject. Manuel Trummer provided a helpful definition of the devil in his book Sympathy for the Devil (2011):1 (1)The devil stands against the divine order. He is outside social normsand culturally sanctioned values. (2) Satan tries to destroy order and overthrow values. He is thus hostile to God and the human community in principle. (3)The devil acts in different forms and under different names. He does battle as both a radiant Lucifer and a destructive dragon. (4) Satan remains a singular figure but appears embedded in a large court of demonic forces that feeds popular-cultural conceptions of the devil, from the early modern belief in witches to the occultism of the period from the 19th to the 21st century. The following questions frame this article. How does the devil appear in the

FAQs

Which two films are analyzed, and what do they have in common?

The article examines American Satan (2017) and Málmhaus (2013). Both are grounded in reality while presenting the devil’s influence through rock music.

How does American Satan portray the devil compared with Málmhaus?

In American Satan, the devil often appears in human form and supernatural effects are not central. In Málmhaus, the focus is on music that already contains devil-related elements and turns listeners against Christianity.

What historical and cultural context is used to interpret Málmhaus?

The film is set during Norway’s early-1990s emergence of black metal and the related church fires, which helps frame its themes about religion and satanic influence.

Aug 24, 2026

Upload by Eden